Emergency Stop Maneuver Planning for Safe Lane Change Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing emergency stopping assistance systems face limitations in safely executing lane changes due to restricted camera views, especially when large vehicles obstruct the view, leading to potential collisions or unsafe stopping positions.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize driver monitoring and environmental sensing to determine the need for an emergency stop, evaluate surroundings for safe stopping positions, and involve passenger interaction to confirm or adapt the stopping maneuver based on environmental conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the front camera is mounted centrally near the rearview mirror to monitor the driver and road ahead, then the driver monitoring function is achieved, but the view of adjacent lanes is significantly obscured, especially when large vehicles are present

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver monitoring capabilityVSAvoidadjacent lane visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the monitoring task between multiple sensors: the front camera monitors the driver and general road ahead, while separate rear radar sensors monitor the adjacent lanes and vehicles approaching from behind. This segmentation allows each sensor to focus on its optimal detection zone without mutual obstruction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces rear radar sensors as intermediary detection devices to compensate for the front camera's limited view of adjacent lanes. These radar sensors act as mediators that detect vehicles in areas obscured from the front camera's perspective, enabling comprehensive lane change safety assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the system requires complete visibility of adjacent lanes before granting lane change permission, then collision safety is maximized, but the system fails to grant clearance in situations where a lane change could be safely executed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidlane change execution capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial monitoring by using rear radar sensors to detect vehicles in adjacent lanes without requiring the front camera to have complete visibility. The system performs sufficient safety checks through the available rear sensors and grants lane change clearance when the detected conditions are safe, even though full visual confirmation is not obtained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the detection parameters from optical (camera-based) to electromagnetic (radar-based) for monitoring adjacent lanes. This parameter change allows the system to detect vehicles through obstacles and in conditions where optical cameras have limited effectiveness, thereby enabling safer lane changes in previously restricted scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If rear radars are used to monitor vehicles approaching from behind, then the ability to detect fast-moving vehicles is improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple sensor types and integration requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor system integration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the rear radar sensor system to perform multiple functions: detecting vehicles approaching from behind, monitoring adjacent lanes for lane change safety, and providing data for both emergency stopping and lane change decisions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized sensors for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the lane change monitoring function with the emergency stopping assistance function by using the same rear radar sensors for both purposes. The sensor data and processing logic are integrated to serve dual safety functions, thereby reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate dedicated sensor systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4406800B1Method and emergency stop device for carrying out a secured emergency stop manoeuvre of a moving vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP4406800B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A method for performing a safe emergency stop maneuver of a moving vehicle, comprising the steps of: - acquiring driver state data relating to the fitness to drive of the vehicle's driver by at least one driver monitoring device; - initializing an emergency stop assistance system based on the acquired driver state data, wherein the emergency stop assistance system determines a stopping position for the emergency stop of the vehicle and at least one planned emergency stop maneuver; - acquiring environmental data with at least one environmental sensing device, wherein the environmental data is characteristic of the vehicle's surroundings; - evaluating the environmental data and generating a system enable signal to enable the planned emergency stop maneuver;- Depending on the generated system release parameter, triggering a request to release the planned emergency stop maneuver by another passenger in the vehicle, in particular by a front-seat passenger, and recording a special release parameter depending on an input from the other passenger, in particular the front-seat passenger; - Executing an adapted emergency stop maneuver based on the system release parameter, the special release parameter and the planned emergency stop maneuver.